Can’t Help Falling In Love Again

I recently found a letter from my husband writing to me about him coming back to Taiwan to take ECFMG Examinations and vacation from military leave (軍醫官) in Penghu (the outside island of mainland Taiwan). The very first time, we finally saw each other after our engagement; it was already two months passed. I cried out of joy when we met!  His words are so sweet and full of love. He wrote “whenever he sees me or is at my side, it makes him find the world so peaceful and beautiful!” 

I was truly touched by reading his letter and remember how much he deeply loved and cared for me. These letters keep me going and give me strength to take care of him. 

Colors in Contrast, zinnias were from my daughter in law’s garden 

Bard College Music Festival - Mozart and His World

Six months ago, my husband and I went to see the Swam Lake Ballet, we had a good time together. Once again, on 8/9/2026, we attended the classic music concert at the Bard college for their Summer Music Festival. The program was “Mozart and His World”. Thanks for my granddaughter Jordan, I received two free tickets from her. She worked part time at Bard college as her summer job. She will be back to school soon for her senior year of USC (University of Southern California). She’s my first grandchild, a beautiful and working hard young lady. we are so proud of her! 

This afternoon’s program was about reimagining two musical contests between Mozart and his Italian contemporaries. Today’s Mozart music was totally unfamiliar to me! But the seats were great, the music was pleasant, two sopranos and baritone were remarkable! Overall, we enjoyed the performance. It brought back memories of our old dates. I temporarily took my mind off my worries for a moment. Life is good for now! (8/9/2026)

Family Vacation and Arranged Whatever You Can Find

The last week of July, all my family members got together on vacation at my older daughter Vivian’s beach house (Lewes, Delaware). We haven’t seen them for a while, they live in Baltimore. It needs 5 hours to drive to get there, I was worrying about my husband at first, but I was glad we went along with them finally. We were lucky he was able to cooperate, no problem with the long drive! After all, I was so delighted that our children and grandchildren had good time together; cooked, went to beach, ate out and enjoyed the take out of jumbo crabs at home! Vivian is a licensed architect from UPenn, she just recently renovated her beach house. The house is so amazingly beautiful and big enough to accommodate four families and 14 people comfortably! I was so glad and grateful for everyone that helped me out with their dad.  I think this vacation could stimulate some good for his brain, he remembers most of us knowing we are family! (8/4/2026)

About this arrangement: I found a bunch of dried statice(?), because of that dull color, I thought I need a beautiful delicate container for it, so I chose the blue crystal bowl. The bunch of dried statice arranged for mass base into the bowl, rest of materials were rose of Sharon and foxtail. The result was not dull anymore, right?!

“Sweet July” - Emphasize the Container

There were really no other flowers available, I had only big and small white hydrangeas, a bunch of lavender and branches. They had been sitting in my Ikebana room for two days. Because of the container I would like to use, I eyed black painted wood sticks and also added the bamboo mat for more appeal. I arranged all the materials into that particular vase. Do you like my arrangement? 

“Come Naturally” Free Style Arrangement

It’s been a while, I have not done a single piece of Ikebana since June. These days in my mind I know I should go to my daughter’s home garden to pick up some flowers, but the medication is making me too tired all the time. Even so, at the end of day, I am glad that I still effortlessly arranged an upright free style using whatever I had in hand and in my garden! (7/16/2026)

Materials: Mitsumata, wild Queen Anne’s lace, Marigold, ballon flower and hosta / antique basket 

United We Stand - Celebrate 250 Years National Holiday

Last couple weeks, we celebrated my husband’s 86th birthday and 250 years July 4th national holiday!  Summer is here, we had experienced the first heat wave for few days, one day even reached over 100 degrees F! Relieved by strong, short thunderstorm, wind and pouring rain during our family’s gathering for July 4th celebration dinner. We had fresh, much cooler air the next day!  

Here are some AI created images of July 4th Independence Day celebration: They are beautiful and wish these were real. I am so touched and proud to be Taiwanese American!

Hosta and Hydrangea

For father’s day, we visited my daughter’s home and enjoyed Barbecue dinner very much! I was wandering around her garden, I cut some hosta and hydrangea (only white bloomed). It brings back memories of my old home garden, I really miss them! I can do Ikebana at any time for my own pleasure and without worrying about the availability of flowers. But not here at my new house, therefore I have started to create some flower beds and planted a few different kinds of flower plants already. (6/21/2026)

The Three Garden Beds

June 1 / 2026, was the last class lessons for the session. We will take a break for July and August, new session will start on September. I started my first class lessons last November at DPW group, five lessons in total by now. Although I am eager to attend classes, I am also concerned about causing too much trouble for family members involved, but my daughter is worrying about my depression, she thinks the Ikebana will help me and lift up my spirits, so she made a schedule who’s taking care of dad and who’s driving mom, so I could go to ikebana class. I am no longer so easily saddened and tearful since I have started taking antidepressants, but it makes me low energy, headache, withdrawal and fatigue. To gain my strength, I have a caretaker come to take care of my husband few times a week to give me a break. I also hired a landscaper to make three small garden beds, one I enlarged the existing front yard, one in a front left side yard and one in backyard. So, I can do some gardening work and etc…

Enlarge the front yard

Front yard 

Front yard 

Close view of the front yard 

Left side front yard 

Back yard 

June Class Lesson (3) - Dried, Bleached, Colored Materials

This subject was no problem for me! I had collected a few dried materials, but finding a suitable container was a little challenging. Here was my arrangement which I made with dried Cycas Sago Palm (蘇鉄) and bark. The Protea Pincushion was provided. 

The pictures below were gradually turned into what it’s now. 

The final version 

Less is more, one palm only 

Sensei wanted me to make palm higher

Tried at home